Georgia CommonsCourt opinions
Georgia Supreme Court decisions with plain-language summaries. Browse by year and case type, or search by case name.
Burns v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Columbia County man's felony murder conviction, finding the evidence was sufficient and that his statements to police and autopsy photographs were properly admitted at trial.
Dickerson v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld John Lorenzo Dickerson's felony murder conviction for the shooting of Bernie Givens, ruling that any errors in evidence and jury instructions were harmless given strong evidence of his guilt.
Franklin v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a DeKalb County man's felony murder conviction, rejecting his claim that his trial lawyer should have challenged the searches of two phones tied to the crime.
In the Matter of Mylee McKinney
The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled that a suspended attorney's failure to properly reject a bar discipline notice on time did not bar her from defending herself, and sent all seven remaining misconduct allegations against her back to the State Bar for formal proceedings.
In the Matter of Nubiyn Matamalaki Mosi Mzekewe
The Supreme Court of Georgia disbarred an Atlanta-area lawyer for expanding his representation without his client's consent, charging a 40 percent contingency fee he was not entitled to, and converting $80,000 of disputed funds to his own use.
In the Matter of W. McCall Calhoun, Jr
The Supreme Court of Georgia rejected a proposed public reprimand for an attorney who admitted trespassing at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, finding his own social media posts suggest conduct far more serious than the parties had described.
Phillips v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Eureon Phillips's felony murder conviction in the shooting death of Tiffany Valkoun, rejecting his challenges to the evidence, a denied mistrial motion, and limits on playing witness statements to the jury.
Stapleton v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Macon man's murder conviction, rejecting claims that unsworn bailiffs, his lawyers' failure to object to certain evidence, and a denied jury instruction entitled him to a new trial.
Wells v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Tobias Wells's felony murder conviction for a fatal shooting during an attempted robbery, rejecting his claims about the evidence, plea deals given to co-defendants, and jury instructions.
Williams v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a DeKalb County man's murder conviction, rejecting his claims that new evidence of possible drugging, a missing jury instruction on involuntary intoxication, and his lawyer's performance entitled him to a new trial.
Williams v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Gwinnett County man's guilty plea to malice murder, rejecting his claims that the plea was coerced and that he had not properly waived his trial rights, but ordered two of his sentences erased because they should have merged.
Dickerson v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Swainsboro man's felony murder conviction, rejecting claims that improper evidence and jury instructions, plus alleged ineffective lawyering, unfairly tainted his trial.
Adams v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Tony Adams Jr.'s murder conviction for killing his mother, rejecting claims that his trial lawyer was ineffective, but ordered a separate aggravated assault conviction erased because it duplicated the murder charge.
Byrd v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Tommy Joe Byrd's felony murder conviction, ruling that a witness's brief, unprompted mention of his past time in prison did not require a mistrial.
Dills v. Weaver
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Spalding County woman's right to a new trial, ruling that her trial lawyer had a conflict of interest from previously representing her co-defendant husband that kept him from blaming him for her infant son's injuries.
In the Matter of Stephanie Dianne Woodard
The Supreme Court of Georgia suspended former Hall County Solicitor General Stephanie Dianne Woodard from practicing law for 12 months, backdated to when she became an inactive State Bar member, for misappropriating public funds.
Murray v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld the denial of a Houston County man's request to withdraw his guilty plea to malice murder, finding the trial court did not abuse its discretion in rejecting his claims that the plea was involuntary and his lawyer ineffective.
Scott v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a Columbus man's murder and child cruelty convictions in the death of his infant son, rejecting his claims about a police interview, evidence of prior injuries, and the trial judge's review of the verdict.
Sellers v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld a DeKalb County man's murder conviction and his sentence of life without parole, rejecting his claims about weak witness testimony, a jury instruction, and cruel and unusual punishment.
Smith v. State
The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld Travis Smith's malice murder conviction, rejecting his claims that the trial court wrongly admitted certain testimony and that his lawyer should have objected more during trial and closing arguments.